The present invention relates to a video camera such as a digital still camera or a video tape recorder integrated with a camera, and more particularly to a video camera having both an optical view finder and a video monitor for displaying a taken image.
In video cameras of the conventional art, automatization of an exposure adjustment, a white balance adjustment, or a focus adjustment is advancing. By contrast, in some video cameras, these adjustments are enabled to be manually set in order to reflect the taste of the user on a taken image.
A video camera of the conventional art comprises a video monitor for displaying a taken image, because of the requirement of checking the taken image in real time. When the video monitor is driven, the power consumption is increased. In order to enable long-term imaging, such a video camera is provided with also an optical view finder which does not require a power source.
In the case where an exposure adjustment, a white balance adjustment, or a focus adjustment is manually performed, in a state where a taken image is displayed on the video monitor, the user can directly visually check the degree at which such an adjustment exerts an effect on the taken image. By contrast, when the power supply to the video monitor is interrupted and the object is seen through the optical view finder, it is impossible to check the effect of the adjustment, and there is a fear that a taken image which is contrary to the intention of the user is derived and then recorded into a semiconductor memory or a magnetic tape.
It is an object of the invention to prevent a taken image which is contrary to the intention of the user, from being derived in a video camera which comprises means for disabling an operation of a video monitor for displaying a taken image, and in which an exposure adjustment, a white balance adjustment, or a focus adjustment can be manually performed.
In order to solve the problem, in a first invention of the application, a video camera comprises: an optical view finder; a video monitor for displaying a taken image; a manual exposure adjuster; and manual-exposure adjustment inhibiting means for detecting that an operation of the video monitor is set to be disabled, and for inhibiting an exposure adjustment of the manual exposure adjuster.
The video camera further comprises automatic exposure adjusting means for performing an automatic exposure adjustment during at least a period when the manual-exposure adjustment inhibiting means inhibits the exposure adjustment of the manual exposure adjuster.
In a second invention of the application, a video camera comprises: an optical view finder; a video monitor for displaying a taken image; a manual exposure adjuster; operation disablement setting means for setting an operation of the video monitor to be disabled; and disablement setting inhibiting means for detecting that the manual exposure adjuster operates, and for inhibiting setting of the operation disablement of the operation disablement setting means.
In a third invention of the application, a video camera comprises: an optical view finder; a video monitor for displaying a taken image; a manual white balance adjuster; and manual-white balance adjustment inhibiting means for detecting that an operation of the video monitor is set to be disabled, and for inhibiting a white balance adjustment of the manual white balance adjuster.
The video camera further comprises automatic white balance adjusting means for performing an automatic white balance adjustment during at least a period when the manual-white balance adjustment inhibiting means inhibits the white balance adjustment of the manual white balance adjuster.
In a fourth invention of the application, a video camera comprises: an optical view finder; a video monitor for displaying a taken image; a manual white balance adjuster; operation disablement setting means for setting an operation of the video monitor to be disabled; and disablement setting inhibiting means for detecting that the manual white balance adjuster operates, and for inhibiting setting of the operation disablement of the operation disablement setting means.
In a fifth invention of the application, a video camera comprises: an optical view finder; a video monitor for displaying a taken image; a manual focus adjuster; and manual-focus adjustment inhibiting means for detecting that an operation of the video monitor is set to be disabled, and for inhibiting focus adjustment of the manual focus adjuster.
The video camera further comprises automatic focus adjusting means for performing an automatic focus adjustment during at least a period when the manual-focus adjustment inhibiting means inhibits the focus adjustment of the manual focus adjuster.
In a sixth invention of the application, a video camera comprises: an optical view finder; a video monitor for displaying a taken image; a manual focus adjuster; operation disablement setting means for setting an operation of the video monitor to be disabled; and disablement setting inhibiting means for detecting that the manual focus adjuster operates, and for inhibiting setting of the operation disablement of the operation disablement setting means.